Study Overseashttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning
News & events for Global Learning, Exchange, Study Tours, and other overseas study opportunitiesMon, 21 Jan 2019 05:53:27 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.92019 New Colombo Plan Scholars – Sophie Eatherhttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2019/01/18/2019-new-colombo-plan-scholars-sophie-eather/
Fri, 18 Jan 2019 02:27:29 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2778Sophie Eather is currently preparing to go on exchange to Fudan University, Shanghai, China, in Semester 1 2019. Sophie is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in International Business, and a Diploma of Languages majoring in Mandarin Chinese. As the recipient of a 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholarship, Sophie has been funded for her exchange and an additional internship in China.

We sat down with Sophie after she returned from a Canberra workshop ahead of the 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholarship recipients being announced.

Having already undertaken a short program to China (Month-long in Shandong study tour, Summer School 2017), Sophie is confident in her ability to immerse herself into the Chinese language while on exchange, and will be studying full-time advanced level Chinese language courses while at Fudan University.

“I’ve been learning Mandarin for three years, and I feel like I’ve got the vocabulary, it’s just actively having the opportunity to speak out loud. That’s why I’m going to China – to be able to say that I’m fluent.”

Sophie will be studying at Fudan University in Shanghai, and is excited to see more of the city while on exchange:

“I went on a study tour through the Confucius Institute to Shandong University in Jinan, and only spent two nights in Shanghai, so I’ve really only had a brief glimpse of the city. The study tour was so intensive that it really helped advance my Chinese a lot.”

“Exchange is really a no brainer! My career goal is business, wine, and Chinese language. I grew up in the Barossa Valley and I work at Penfolds. My goal is to sell Australian wine and promote it in China, so exchange was always on the cards, with or without the scholarship. I always wanted to go on exchange to improve my Chinese and get it to that level to be able to sell wine in China.”

“It’s reflected in the news around us that China is the biggest trade partner of Australia. There’s so much excitement and so much going on with Australia-China relations. I personally think there’s no reason not to study in China for an exchange.”

“I worked at a restaurant in my gap year called Vintners, owned by Yalumba. There were a lot of Chinese tourists that would come through and try wine. I think that the early immersion (I hadn’t studied Chinese at that point), and noticing the sheer influx of Chinese tourists in South Australia and the Barossa was a starting point. It just made sense to me to combine my passion for wine with Commerce. And I had studied Japanese but really wanted to diversify and take up Chinese as it’s so relevant to today’s economy. And I continued because I was good at it! I’m not very good at Science and Mathematics, but I’m good at Languages. Sticking to what I’m good at and my passion planted the seed and it just grew from there.”

Elaborating more on her work experience at Penfolds, Sophie continues:

“I had applied again and again and after a few months of waiting it came out of nowhere. They called me and said, ‘Sophie, we heard you speak a bit of Chinese, we’d love you to come on board’, so clearly I had a few distinguishing factors – I’m from the Barossa, I like wine, and I speak Chinese.”

“At Penfolds, I work in Magill Estate kitchen, which is located next to the cellar door. We host VIP functions and events which is my favourite part; we’ve hosted Peter Gago (head winemaker at Penfolds), Scott Morrison, the Premier, and Rolex. I love showcasing and promoting the Penfolds brand, and I also get the opportunity to use my Chinese there because there are so many Chinese tourists interested in wine.”

When applying for exchange, students pick three preferences and are then allocated one of those preferences based on a variety of factors such as GPA, written application, and course suitability. Sophie was allocated her first preference – Fudan University in Shanghai.

“The Chinese language courses there are so flexible. Other universities offered English courses in business and just had Chinese as a side course, whereas I really wanted that immersion at an advanced level. Fudan was the perfect choice for me.”

When describing the moment she found out she’d been selected for the NCP Scholarship, Sophie told us “the interview went really well. It was late October and I was in the middle of class. I refreshed my laptop and saw the NCP email saying that I got the scholarship and I just ran out of the classroom. I was straight on the phone to my sisters and my parents. It caught me completely off guard.”

Reflecting on how the New Colombo Plan Scholarship will benefit her future career, Sophie mentions her internship in Shanghai, which she’s been able to secure thanks to the scholarship.

“I’ve previously done an internship at Wine Australia, and I recently contacted them again. They have an office in Shanghai. The partnerships that the companies have with the New Colombo Plan is great. It was amazing being in Canberra and meeting the other scholars. Just the networking opportunities alone are amazing. My LinkedIn has gone crazy! The opportunity and the prestige associated with the scholarship are worth so much more than the money. The New Colombo Plan have been very supportive of everything I want to do.”

In ten years, Sophie hopes to be “working in China, at Treasury Wine Estates or Wine Australia, promoting and selling Australian wine in China. I really enjoy event management, and I think my experience at Penfolds has reinforced a lot of event management. I can imagine myself organising a little wine tasting experience for Chinese visitors and selling and promoting wine that way.”

Study Overseas will be closed for business from 5pm Friday 21 December 2018 and will reopen in the New Year at 9am on Wednesday 2 January 2019. Finance processing will also experience some delays over this period.

OS-HELP and Travel Grant processing

Eligible OS-HELP or Global Learning Travel Grant applications received before close of business Thursday 6 December will receive payment before the end of the year..

We will continue to process applications while our office is open (up to Friday 21 December), but please note that payments will not recommence until mid-January 2019.

For OS-HELP, students whose programs commence in 2019 may wish to use the 2019 OS-HELP amounts but these will not be paid before 2019. For programs commencing in 2019, the maximum loan amounts are $6,791 (for study not in Asia), $8,149 (for study in Asia), and $1,085 for the Asian Language supplement.

For more information about OS-HELP, including a video designed to help you successfully complete an OS-HELP application, please refer to the Study Overseas Funding web page.

]]>Best Of 2018 – Thien Nguyen – Project Everest, Vietnamhttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2018/12/07/best-of-2018-thien-nguyen-project-everest-vietnam/
Fri, 07 Dec 2018 06:08:16 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2744Thien was one of the finalists in the video category for our Best Of competition! He participated in a Project Everest program focussed on water assessment to Vietnam. Enjoy!

]]>Best of 2018 – Ben D’Antonio – Deep Water, Deep Jungle – Singapore, Cambodiahttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2018/11/28/best-of-2018-ben-dantonio-deep-water-deep-jungle-singapore-cambodia/
Wed, 28 Nov 2018 04:43:46 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2741Ben was one of the finalists in the video category for our Best Of competition! His dreamy footage is from the Deep Water, Deep Jungle study tour that took students from the School of Biological Sciences to Singapore and Cambodia. We love these Southeast Asian vibes!

]]>Best Of 2018 – Alice Yang – Nagoya University, Japanhttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2018/11/22/best-of-2018-alice-yang-nagoya-university-japan/
Thu, 22 Nov 2018 06:34:36 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2733Alice’s submission won the best video prize for our Best Of competition! Well done Alice. Check out her adventures at Nagoya University in Japan.

]]>6 Tips for Settling In – by Kathryn Simonshttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2018/10/05/6-tips-for-settling-in-by-kathryn-simons/
Fri, 05 Oct 2018 06:56:20 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2710Kathryn is currently on exchange at the University of Glasgow for a Full Year (2018-2019). She is studying a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and minoring in Art History.

Once your exchange finally comes around, it can feel like you’ve been planning and waiting for years and in the excitement and stress of last minute preparations it’s easy to forget about actually arriving and the realities of settling into your temporary home.

As exciting as an exchange is, arriving and settling in can be hard. As someone who has just recently gone through this turbulent time, I’ve gathered some tips and advice, some I used to help me adjust and others I wish I’d known before I left.

1. Plan how you’ll get to your accommodation.

Looking up and planning how you’re going to get from the airport to your accommodation ahead of time will help you avoid getting lost without phone data like I did. You’ll be dead tired, so even if you have google maps, it will be a relief to have a rough idea of where you’re actually supposed to be going.

2. Homesickness will get better.

You may have heard people say you’ll be too busy to be homesick, but if you’re prone to homesickness like me, you might be a tad doubtful of this advice.
The truth is most people get homesick to some degree. You might be horribly homesick like I was or you might only miss home a little. The most comforting piece of advice my international student friends have given me is that it will get better and I know from experience now that no matter how horrid you feel, it gets better. Maybe not right away but each week will be easier than the next and it will be SO worth it in the end.

3. Don’t lock yourself in your room.

If you are homesick, make sure you leave your room. Everything feels better once you’re out exploring your new city or getting involved in university welcome events.

4. Unpack ASAP.

Having all your stuff unpacked and put away will help you feel more settled in your new home quicker, will help with homesickness and is one less thing you have to do once study starts.

5. It will take a while to get everything sorted, try not to stress too much.

There’s a lot to buy and organise in the first few weeks, not to mention you probably have welcome events to attend and study at some point. Each university operates differently, some slower, some faster, and it might take you awhile to adapt whatever your normal uni routine is to your new uni. Just remember that there are people at the university who have done this hundreds of times before and are there to help you out, if you need them.

6. Culture shock is real.

I know people warn you about this but it’s worth being aware of as it’s likely to happen at some point. Homesickness can play a part in culture shock, I know I was homesick right away and the fact that everyone spoke in odd accents made me feel alienated. It can be overwhelming, but it fades as you adjust to your surroundings and you come to love those things that annoyed you at first.

“Exchange is such a roller-coaster experience and can seem quite daunting. Exchange gives you the opportunity to learn and grow, all this is part of the crazy, scary, exciting adventure you’re about to embark on!”

Study Overseas is offering the opportunity for two storytelling students to win $250 each for the best written piece and best video of 2018.

Students must:

Have participated in a Study Overseas experience in 2018 (including those that departed in 2017) which has been registered in GLAS

Be a current student of the University of Adelaide at the time of submission.

Submission requirements:

All submissions must be the original work of the student, and may not include Study Overseas-produced content such as the Alumni series. Student content previously submitted and published on the Study Overseas website, blog or social media may be considered if it meets all other requirements.

Written piece

At least 500 words with photos or other imagery (infographics are acceptable and may be under 500 words)

Hosted on a website (including the Study Overseas Blog) or submitted in PDF format

Courtney Smith is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science. In Winter School of 2018, Courtney travelled to Aarhus, Denmark, to take part in their summer program.

At the beginning of 2018, I had no idea that I would be traveling to Europe for the first time. I can clearly remember browsing the internet and stumbling upon information about a summer university program in Aarhus, Denmark. Despite knowing little about this city, it immediately caught my attention and I spontaneously decided to apply. I applied for the course ‘Youth, Drugs & Alcohol’; this course intrigued me as I am undertaking a psychology degree and I found the key concepts very interesting. Before Europe I had only ever travelled overseas once – I visited the United States five years ago but it was a very short trip. Naturally, I was anxious about my long-haul flight to a country I had never visited, with a national language that I didn’t speak, and not knowing anybody.

Fast forward to June… I arrived in warm Copenhagen after three flights and sitting on planes for up to 30 hours. An inexperienced traveler, I only packed 7 kilograms for a five week trip. I quickly fell in love with the colourful buildings, wonderful weather, and youthful atmosphere. I made my way to Aarhus where I found my accommodation for the month: a cute box apartment in a neighbourhood that I could barely pronounce the name of. I felt a mixture of strong emotions: anxiety, excitement, and exhaustion. It wasn’t all roses, there were certainly some bumps along the way — particularly during the first week. My phone data didn’t work for a few days, so I was unable to contact my family or use maps for directions. Shopping was a challenge due to currency differences and my inability to read Danish; I made silly mistakes like buying cordial thinking it was orange juice. Moreover, I had to adjust to another culture, different etiquette, the cost of living, and new adult responsibilities, including renting my first apartment.

It was easy to forget about these overwhelming events when I was so distracted by the charm and excitement of Aarhus. Scandinavia is reportedly the happiest place on earth, and I was undoubtedly made a happier person. I was initially nervous about my first day of class but these feelings quickly disappeared after I was introduced to everyone. The classes were much more interactive than the classes at my home university, with frequent open discussions. The lectures were always engaging and constantly inspired me to deeply reflect upon the areas that I was passionate about. The students came from many different parts of the world and were all extremely friendly; we often made plans after classes or hung out during the university’s social activities. I attended a pub crawl, a small festival for international students, two museum trips and a special Danish lunch organised by the university. It allowed me to meet even more people outside of my class while exploring Aarhus.

As this was my first trip to Europe, I realised that I might not be on that side of the world for a while and needed to use the trip to its greatest advantage: I have now visited nine countries. There were several trips planned before, during, and after my course: I went to the Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Scotland. Many trips were planned on a whim; I was always tempted when I looked up cheap flights or buses to nearby countries for a quick weekend getaway. It was not perfectly organised and I didn’t expect that I would be travelling so much. I never regretted it at all, I went to most countries completely alone and stayed in hostels. I was addicted to discovering new places. Scotland particularly enriched my adventures because I was able to meet some of my family members over there for the very first time.

During my travels, there were times where I faced lifelong fears and forced myself out of my comfort zone. Flying itself is something I was never fond of, but after being on almost 10 different flights in Europe, it stopped being a problem for me. I confronted my fear of heights when I climbed up tall buildings. I had to give oral presentations which I seriously dreaded due to my phobia of public speaking. In the end, I definitely grew as a person after approaching so many things that I would usually avoid at home. As someone that was homeschooled throughout much of my schooling, my international studies and my trip in general really helped me come out of my shell in many ways. I became far more social, outgoing, and engaged in the student experience while in Denmark; I would like to think that I brought home with me an abundance of newfound confidence, independence, and courage. There were many parts of my journey that gave me inspiration for my future study plan and career.

My trip taught me how to accept when things turn awry and maintain an optimistic perspective. I did experience homesickness, some form of culture shock, and failed to achieve my goal of learning Danish. There were days where so many things would go wrong at once, often completely unexpectedly. That being said, I simply dismissed it instead of fixating on it because I felt so privileged to have the opportunity to study in such an amazing country. I recognised that these hiccups were integral to my overseas study experience and the rewards that I reaped from my journey far outweighed any minor setbacks.

I will miss Denmark – running hares, smørrebrød, long summer nights and early sunrises, and some of the most beautiful streets I’ve ever seen. The best part of my trip was the people I met; I connected with many people from all over the world and plan to see some of them again one day when we end up on the same continent again. I would highly recommend Scandinavia and international study programs to any students who are considering it, I had the time of my life during my five weeks in Europe. It has really inspired me to study overseas further — right now, I’m already trying to decide which country I will apply to study in next.

]]>Study Overseas Alumni #10 – Hannah Sandrinihttps://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/2018/08/24/study-overseas-alumni-10-hannah-sandrini/
Fri, 24 Aug 2018 02:09:38 +0000http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/global-learning/?p=2591Hannah Sandrini is currently studying a double degree in Law and International Studies with a Diploma in French. She has completed three exchange programs with us – first at the University of Strasbourg, France, in 2014, then at the University of Montreal, Canada, in 2016, and her latest was at Mahidol University, Thailand, in 2017. Hannah answered a few questions for us on her thoughts on completing multiple programs, and told us about the opportunities she has had because of her experiences.

What drove you to apply for the first program?
I have always had a passion for travel. After I finished high school, I took the year off to travel before attending university, which helped spark my desire to complete an exchange program. I knew from my first day at university that all things permitting, I was going to complete an exchange at some point during my degree. I have studied French throughout my entire schooling and approached my decision of what I wanted to study at university with my desire to travel and to spend some time studying in France in mind.

What did you find most beneficial about Studying Overseas?
All three of my programs were undertaken at different points in my life, with a different level of experience behind me, and different aims and goals. Each program shaped me in a unique way. I studied French in France, law in Canada, and International Studies in Thailand, so in that sense they are not comparable. In saying this, all of my exchanges presented me with new challenges and forced me to adapt in a completely unique manner. France was my first time living in another country and so I encountered all the challenges and success of that experience, which provided solid foundations on which I could build my following two exchanges.

My exchanges in France and Canada were beneficial for my language skills, which were not tested in Thailand. However, Thailand challenged me the most and forced me out of my comfort zone in a way that is unparalleled in my previous two experiences. The experience of living in a developing country and gaining an insight into such a multidimensional and rapidly growing country truly pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped shape my character and understanding of a non-western way of thinking. From this, I was able to challenge my own values and priorities and burst a lot of bubbles I had built in my head.

What were the highlights of your overseas study/what experiences stand out in your memory?
Each day was a highlight in itself even when I was presented with a challenge. The highlight of all of my exchanges has been the people. But some of the crazier individual experiences include hitch hiking from Serbia to Turkey, my mid-semester trip from France up through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, and Finland, seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland, going on a weekend trip to the Maldives from Bangkok, mid-semester break in Cuba, mid-semester break in Indonesia, surfing in Sri Lanka, Oktoberfest with my brother, skiing in Canada, and hiking in the Canadian Rockies.

What did you learn about yourself from your experiences?
I am currently on my fourth overseas experience and have found myself in constant awe of all the amazing and incredible people that have been coming into my life recently. I am beginning to understand that the reason so many amazing people have come into my life is because I am drawing them into it. Exchange has introduced me to who I am outside of my home and my friends in Adelaide and all the preconceptions that go along with that. This has forced me to learn and to grow, to understand my desires, strengths and passions, but also my weaknesses and boundaries. My exchanges have inspired in me the confidence to have a better understanding of who I am and to be unashamedly proud of that person and all she has achieved.

This has led to a great sense of trust in myself and my instincts, to believe in what I want in life and to pursue this with the courage that my exchanges have inspired in me.
I have also learnt that I am so much stronger then I could ever have hoped or imagined. While every single one of my exchange experiences has been incredible, they haven’t come without their challenges. What this has forced me to do is to overcome these challenges and adapt quickly. I have learnt to interact and communicate with different people from all over the world and from all walks of life, crossing language and culture barriers. There is a real sense of strength in knowing that I can pick up and move somewhere across the world in a society that I am completely unfamiliar with and I’ll be fine. Above all, the greatest thing I learnt from my travels and experiences is best summed up by my most commonly used phrase in Thailand: mai pen rai – no worries. If I don’t stress the little things and have confidence in myself when it comes to the big things, then there are no worries.

What opportunities did the experiences give you?
The opportunities that have been brought about by my exchange programs can for the most part be directly attributed to the people I have met, the network I have built, and the opportunities this has presented me with. Whether it was friends I met on the first day of exchange and who will remain in my life for a long time to come, or strangers I met along the way who imparted their wisdom and time on me, every single one of them presented me with a unique opportunity and experience from which to learn moving forward. Meeting people from all over the world has presented me with the occasion to travel and work in new places on the recommendation and guidance of some incredible people.

Did you talk about your overseas study in any interviews for opportunities (internships, job interviews, university applications, etc.)?
Yes, pretty much all the time. I am currently interning in a law office in New Orleans and in the interview I spoke extensively about my travel experiences. My current position requires an individual who can deal with challenging situations and has been exposed to confronting content. My experiences of exchange provided great examples of how I am equipped to deal with both of these things. I have a whole host of real life experience from which I can consistently draw on.

How would you sell yourself using your international experience?Adaptability, communication, independence, experience.
My international experience has pushed me to think more critically and approach things from a different view point. It has provided me with a cross-cultural view of the world, while simultaneously presenting countless opportunities to better myself. From these challenges, undertaken solo, I have learnt to communicate and work effectively to solve problems in a critical and timely manner. I stress flexibility and cooperation with others when I travel as I know this to be the best way to illicit positive outcomes from my travelling experiences.

I am of the firm belief that communication is one of the most important skills to possess in the workplace. I believe that university can sometimes fail to push students outside their comforts zone. Students are taught the content well, however are not given direction as to how to talk to clients and how to apply, communicate, and utilise information effectively. This creates a gap in student’s ability for communication and critical thinking. Where a degree studied entirely in one place falls short, exchange provides that international experience to bolster my ability to communicate effectively with people all across the world and from different fields and with different interests.

Do you think that completing the experiences helped you to stand out from other candidates?
I hope so. Especially because a lot of the opportunities that I have and am currently pursuing are internationally based or require some sort of experience in this. In my current role at a non-for-profit office which tackles pre-trial capital punishment cases for indignant clients, international experience reflects an ability to adapt and deal with serious content. The other interns that I have encountered as part of my current experience have come from all across the world – England, The Netherlands, France, other states in the US… and all of them have international experience.

Tell us your thoughts on the benefits of completing multiple overseas study opportunities.
I think I was more and more prepared as each exchange passed.By the second exchange I could skip over the awkward adjustment period that I went through in the first and I could just jump straight into it. As I mentioned earlier, my first exchange provided an amazing foundation on which to build my following experiences.
Interacting with people from different countries provides a broad spectrum of communication skills which crosses national borders. This skill is continually reinforced and added to with experiences in different countries and different regions of the world.

Do you still keep in contact with anyone from your overseas study?
Yes, the people I have met on exchange now comprise some of my best friends and the most important people in my life. I have been to visit many of my friends I have met on the exchange, and they have come to visit me too. I can’t reinforce enough how the people I have met throughout my exchange experiences has continued to shape me as a person and my life in the best way I could possibly hope for.

What are your plans once you finish your current overseas experience?
I arrive back in Adelaide start of August and then I have one semester left to complete until I can graduate. I hope to find similar internships to the one that I am currently doing around the world and to gain experience through these, as well as more travelling. I would love to pursue different opportunities abroad and see my friends that I have made on previous trips. I want to make new friends, live somewhere new, learn a new language, and pursue new skills. If I ended up in the mountains doing a ski season somewhere, or by the beach teaching English, I definitely wouldn’t be complaining either.

What have you discovered about yourself since taking part in your first two global experiences?
I am strong, independent, and confident. I have learnt how to be part of a global community, but also to know my own worth. I feel people (especially women) are told to constantly reinforce things about themselves they don’t like or that they are told they should be ashamed of. Travelling has taught me how to have confidence in myself and be proud of myself for all my weird and wonderful traits. My global experiences have given me the greatest gift of all – I am no longer afraid to take up space.

Where would you like to visit next?
East Coast of Africa, Central America and Patagonia, and China, but really the list is endless. My list never crosses any country out. I simply have two lists now, one of countries I want to go to and one of countries I want to go back to.

How has the overseas study you took part in through the University of Adelaide helped you get to where you are now?
Going on three exchanges and doing one overseas internship in a six year degree has contributed to a large portion of my studies. It has shaped my university experience, which is in itself a large transitional period in one’s life. My exchanges have taken me out of this box, challenged me, and forced me to grow. My exchanges have equipped me with the skills and experiences going forward as a person.
In terms of getting to where I am physically, my current position as a legal intern at the Louisiana Capital Assistance Center I owe in large part to my overseas study experience.

It was in Strasbourg that I met one of the greatest people in the world called Heaven. She is from Lafayette, which is two hours outside of New Orleans. Knowing Heaven put Louisiana, and as an extension of that, New Orleans, on the map for me. It is through Heaven that I became aware of the incredible city that is New Orleans, but also some of the serious issues that it faces as a result of a legal system which seeks to systematically exclude and oppresses minorities. I applied for this internship while I was in Thailand studying, and being over there and knowing I had international experience really inspired me and challenged me to apply for this position.

What is your favourite destination you have ever visited?
It is a six-way tie between Colombia, Canada, Pai (in the North of Thailand), Berlin, New Orleans, and the Amazon Rainforest.

If I could leave one small piece of advice for everyone when it comes to exchange, it would be to ask yourself “why not?”. In my mind, it’s an absolute no-brainer. This is not to say that I wasn’t challenged by my exchanges and that there weren’t difficult parts to my experience, but honestly, how can you go wrong with the opportunity to have fun, meet new people, and see the world?